Accrington mephedrone dealer spared jailed by 'skin of his teeth'

A MEPHEDRONE street dealer who was selling drugs from a car was spared jail ‘by the skin of his teeth’, at Burnley Crown Court.

The hearing was told how Lee Kennedy, 24, had looked extremely nervous and was shaking when spotted by a police officer and she decided to search the vehicle.

She found £200 and a sports bag containing digital scales and a bag of white powder, which turned out to be 30.7 grams of mephedrone, worth £614 on the streets.

Kennedy was arrested and told police: "It's bubble and it's for my own use."

The defendant, of Burnley Road, Accrington, admitted supplying mephedrone and possessing the drug with intent to supply, last August 29.

The court was told the officer saw what she perceived to be an exchange between two men. Kennedy was siting in the driver's seat of the car and a second man ran into a house.

The defendant was interviewed by the police and said some of the drugs would be for himself and he would have sold some to friends to make some money.

Sentencing Kennedy to 10 months in custody, suspended for two years, with supervision and 100 hours unpaid work, Recorder Philip Curran said he had had a ‘dealer's kit’ in the car.

The judge told the defendant:" It's by the skin of your teeth you are not going to custody. The reason I am giving you a chance is because your pre-sentence report says you are going to turn things around and make life different."